2013-2014 Olimpik Sarajevo Season
Pre-Season Season Preview Once again Olimpik Sarajevo faces a new challenge, and the biggest challenge the team has ever faced, as we will compete in three competitions in one year. The Europa League will be a tough challenge and it will recquire that the team has a deep cover for the other two competitions, the Adriatic Superleague and the Adriatic Cup. On a side note, Olimpik Sarajevo signed a 4 year sponsorship contract with the italian sports brand Lotto for €692,000 per season. The new shirts are going to bre presented during the pre-season. Season Objectives The expectation for the team in the Superleague is to achieve a respectable position, even though, there is confidence from within the team to reprise at least, the excellent level from last season. In the Europa League the objective is to gain experience from the international competition, and try to do the best they can. While, in the Adriatic Cup the objective is to advance at least, until the fourth round. 2012-2013 End of Season Roster Summer Transfers Outgoing *Renato to Vicenza for €925,000 *Mladen Lucic to Köln for €350,000 *Predrag Pavlovic to Sevastopol for €550,000 *Tomislav Stanic to Fehévár for €18,000 *Stjepan Poljak to Stabæk for €475,000 *Elvir Colic to Oţelul for €300,000 Three reserve team players left the team, for a total of €90,000 Smajil Sadic was loaned out to Sibenik, without a loan fee. Incoming *Salih Hamidovic from Rad on a free transfer *Dario Zuparic from Cibalia on a free transfer *Ibrahim Arifovic from Vojvodina on a free transfer *Marko Vukcevic from Buducnost on a free transfer *Aleksandar Zivanovic from Hadjuk Split for €240,000 *Amer Osmanagic from Debrecen for €650,000 (€500,000 + €150,000 depending on variables) *Ivan Kostic from Kosice on a free transfer David Sitar and Petar Kunic were promoted from the U-19 squad. Pre-Season Fixtures Pre-Season Review The team sold some of the veterans from the team, specially the ones who had a promising youngster coming from below. With Renato's departure the team broke a record for highest transfer fee received, which belonged to [Pablo Kresser by a quarter-million euros. The team also broke the highest transfer income received record, with 2.4 million euros. The team only payed for two players, but managed to break another record with highest transfer fee paid for Amer Osmanagic with €650,000, even though only €500,000 are guaranteed, the other €150,000 come from international play bonuses. The team also set a record for higest transfer spend, with €900,000. A very short and improvisated pre-season, due to the teams' participation in the Europa League which started mid-June. The new transfers couldn't play in the pre-season games, and even Amer Osmanagic couldn't play in the second round of the Europa League. Best Players Lazar Cirkovic was the team's best player, with only 1 game played, Stefan Srnic and Semir Bukvic also played well during the games. Season Opening Day Squad After a great preseason, the team was already shaped-up, the final squad was trimmed down to 23 names, from which 3 were Goalkeepers, 4 Fullbacks, 4 Center Backs, 2 Defensive Midfielders, 4 Central Midfielders, 2 Attacking Midfielders and 4 Strikers. Ideal Formation The team will change a bit the tactic from last season, adding a central midfielder instead of the Defensive Midifielder, to add attacking balance. The tactic, focalizes in pressing the rival up in their own turf, and trying to take the ball and attack quickly in a counter way. ]] Fixtures The season will be divided in two halves, with the winter break in the middle. First Half of the Season A tough start of the season for Olimpik. They had a hard skid between the end of October and December, 9 games without a win, and in the midst of that a 4 game loss streak (the only win in that period is for the Cup). The team struggled defensively and conceded too many goals, couldn't hold a lead even if their life depended on it. Things needed some shaking. Best Players Muhamed Subasic was the only player to point out, he had a goal and 7 assists with a great 7.22 rating. Second Half of the Season Full Season Statistics Table Winter Transfers Outgoing Srdjan Stanic to OFK Beograd for €220,000. Alexandru Piţurcă to Vicenza for €625,000 (€400,000 guaranteed, €225,000 in a variable basis). Incoming Nemanja Bilbija from Vojvodina for €875,000 (record transfer). Józef Kanta from Arsenal Kyiv on a free transfer. Darijan Matic from Kryvbas on a free transfer. Squad (Second Half of the Season) After the transfers, the team settled the squad for the second half of the season. Season Review and Aftermath It was definetely a small-to-big season, with an Olimpik squad that struggled during the first half of the year, mainly due to tactical problems, but also because some important players left the team and weren't properly replaced. During the second half of the season the team performed at a high level, achieving the first important title in the club's history, the Adriatic Cup, which allows Olimpik to play once again in the Europa League, tournament in which, this year, they got eliminated in the Third Qualifying Round in the hands of Juventus. Objectives Review *The Ojective for the Superleague was achieved as the team finalized the season at the 5th position. *In the Europa League the board would have liked to go further in the competition, but they understood how the team was eliminated by a high profile world team, as Juventus. *The team exceeded the expectations in the Adriatic Cup taking advantage of a weak draw, and took the championship home. Best Players Nemanja Bilbija was the team's leading performer, despite only arriving on the second half of the season. He justified his record €875,000 price tag, with 12 goals in 15 matches, plus 2 assists and an average rating of 7.41 Muhamed Subasic had another awesome year, with 43 appearances for the club. He scored 2 goals, but bursted the charts out with 16 assists, and had an average rating of 7.32 Józef Kanta was anohter inspired signing. He came to Olimpik for free, after his Arsenal Kyiv contract ended, and the Hungarian International, scored 7 goals in 16 matches, adding 5 assists, and had an average rating of 7.27. Best Eleven Financial Review A good season, financial wise, even though there was too much spending bringing players in, specially with the transfers of Osmanagic (€650,000) and Bilbija (€875,000) Next Season Forecast Another season rolls in, with Olimpik Sarajevo with high hopes. For the next season, the team plans to try and fight for a UEFA Champions League spot, as the league has been awarded with 2 now, while also defending the Adriatic Cup and trying to reach as further as possible in the Europa League. The transfers team is working hard, night and day, to bring in some important players.